For people looking for a slightly more challenging trek, a visit to Alp-Flix is a good idea. This mountaintop area houses an appealing lake surrounded by flowing grassy hills. It is located above the village of Sur and for the less athletic people among us it is reachable by car.
An equally enjoyable way to get there is to trek up the mountain from the village below. There is readily accessible and free parking at the very top of the (somewhat vertically built) village. From here there are several ways to make your way up, and all of them have signs telling you where to go. The shortest – and in this authors opinion best – way is a twisting and somewhat steep mountain path that is flanked by beautiful nature on both sides. On this walk you may encounter several animals as well, such as sheep, mountain goats and cows.
Once at the mountain top you are greeted by a small village where there is ample opportunity to replenish your water supplies from the natural wells. There are also several small cafes and restaurants, where you can have a snack or a drink before continuing your trek. From here there are a multitude of mountain paths leading to the surrounding villages. These provide a great opportunity for the more serious hikers to explore the surrounding mountain side, and to take in spectacular views of the valley below.
The lake is readily accessible, and it is quite possible to bathe in the clean water it provides. Potential bathers should be aware that it is still a mountain lake, so the temperature will not be too high. Nevertheless, tourists can often be found refreshing themselves in the cool water.
As with the road up, there are several roads leading down, and it is recommended that you take a different path from the one you took going up, because the scenery is truly spectacular!